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Friday, 25 November 2011

Can't believe it's been over a year since I last posted on here! Well, folks, I'm about to change all that. And the reason? My wonderful holiday in New England...

It was a fantastic holiday. I flew to Boston, travelled up to Canada, then back down to New York. On the way I saw the most spectacular countryside, met some lovely people, and had myself a whole lotta fun!

That holiday was the antidote I needed to get over the grief I'd been coping with through the summer. In June two very, very special people in my life died within a week of each other, and it took some getting over. When you've loved people for most of your life it leaves a huge gap you think will never be filled. So I didn't know what to expect from my holiday... Until I fetched up in a little place called Bath in New Hampshire.

Bath is the home of The Brick Store, the oldest general store in America - or so it's claimed, and it was there I found myself waking up again!

For all of you who know me well, you know how much music means to me. And The Brick Store is owned by Mike Lusty, the drummer with the band The Rocking Chairs. Next to the general store is an ice cream parlour, and next to that is an art shop.

The ice cream parlour is a sight to behold. The walls are covered in old original 45s, and it's the real deal. Yes, they do sell ice cream! It was there I bought a CD by The Rocking Chairs. Naturally I got it signed by the three members of the band who were around!

Little did I know it then, but the healing process had begun! It suddenly all came together in Times Square in New York. I stood there that first evening, and I came alive! For the first time in many months I began to feel happy.

OK, that's enough of the sad stuff...

Since coming home I've listened to The Rocking Chairs a lot! They are good! Rock and roll as it should be played. After that I dug out CDs I hadn't heard for months and since then the music hasn't stopped in my house! Music has always enhanced my mood, and really good rock music does it for me every time.

This week has been the Rockiest week so far. Tuesday I went to see The Vampires of Rock at the New Theatre, Hull. Fantastic, amazing, ear-splitting stuff. Then on Wednesday there was Steve Jones' show on Rhondda Radio, that was terrific.

I must mention here that Steve had a 'big finish' lined up just for me - which I can't thank him enough for. I'd sent Rhondda Radio a present. They're community based and rely on donations to keep going. Anyway, as a special Thank You, Steve played MeatLoaf's 'Bat Out of Hell' specially for me - the complete 9 minute version! Now that's rock!

He knows I love MeatLoaf and there was nothing better he could have played for me. I'm always asking for a MeatLoaf request, and sometimes I'm lucky, but this came out of the blue.

Friends, eh! I love 'em all to bits, and I know they really are friends. They've seen me through the tough times this year, and I give them my heart for their love and support, I am truly grateful...

I've also been tuning in to another on-line radio station, Aiiradio. My friend, Brian Dade, has 4 shows on there during the week, and there's a very lively chat room in operation at the same time. It was during one of Brian's shows I 'met' a guy called Bill Horncastle who was born in Hull, now lives in Market Weighton and has his own show on Market Weighton Radio! He knows Skeffling, too, and I'll be investigating that further...

So there you go... I can't get away from music, musicians, DJs and so many lovely people associated with music. It's been with me all my life, and long may it continue...